[NetBehaviour] Scientists add emotions to robotic hea

Simon Biggs s.biggs at eca.ac.uk
Mon Nov 24 18:03:16 CET 2008


I agree we need a change in our minds. But this raises a key question ­ what
are our minds, where are they located? If you accept the conventional
understanding on this (minds are in our head¹s and a function of our brains)
then we have to await evolution for change. However, evolution is a very
slow process, even allowing for sudden mutation. Whilst it is true that an
organism can experience sudden mutation, that might be immediately
successful, it then takes many, usually hundreds, of generations for it to
feed through to a shift in the species. Thus I doubt we will see any general
change in our lifetimes ­ or those of our children, grandchildren or
their¹s.

However, if you understand that mind is only incidentally linked to the
brain, perhaps taking a radical Foucauldian view (the mind as social
instantiation), then we might not need to wait for evolution to work its
powerful but slow force upon us (unless you are a Social Darwinist). Society
can change quite quickly, as we have seen in both the distant and recent
past.

Personally I think mind is composed of both of these elements (and then some
more) - in which case it is anyone¹s guess as to what will happen.

Does that make me a post-humanist? I guess to be that you have to be a
humanist in the first instance ­ and I know I am not a humanist. I prefer to
take a non-anthropocentric view of the universe and where value may be
found.

Regards

Simon


On 24/11/08 16:45, "marc garrett" <marc.garrett at furtherfield.org> wrote:

> Hi Simon,
> 
> One thing that I know I am not for sure, and that is a post-humanist.
> 
> Although, I do know those who feel that human evolution involves moving
> away from the (supposed) restrictions of our bodies.
> 
> Yet, I feel before we can even venture in this form of direction, we
> need to move into improving our minds first - which of course, would
> take a very long time looking at what is happening around the world...
> 
> marc
>> > Check out Stelarc¹s take on this
>> >
>> > http://thinkinghead.edu.au/
>> >
>> > Regards
>> >
>> > Simon
>> >
>> >
>> > On 24/11/08 16:01, "marc garrett" <marc.garrett at furtherfield.org> wrote:
>> >
>> >   
>>> >> Scientists add emotions to robotic head.
>>> >>
>>> >> Claiming that service-class robots will one day be pervasive,
>>> >> researchers at the University of the West of England's Bristol Robotics
>>> >> Laboratory (BRL) have begun investigating ways to make robots seem more
>>> >> human.
>>> >>
>>> >> Just as PCs are now common in households, workplaces, and parts of our
>>> >> environment, BRL expects "service-class" robotic devices to become "a
>>> >> pervasive element of our future society." This will represent a "huge
>>> >> opportunity for life enhancement and commercial exploitation," the lab
>>> adds.
>>> >>
>>> >> Typical occupations for tomorrow's robotic underlings are expected to
>>> >> include:
>>> >>
>>> >> * Aids for the elderly
>>> >> * Domestic servants
>>> >> * Tour guides
>>> >> * Hotel porters
>>> >> * Non beer-drinking "assistants" on construction sites
>>> >> * Leisure/gaming robots
>>> >> * Numerous military roles
>>> >> * "...and so on"
>>> >>
>>> >> Since service-class robots will occupy environments that contain people,
>>> >> there's a fundamental need for them to interact in an easy and natural
>>> >> manner with their human companions, BRL notes.
>>> >>
>>> >> more...
>>> >> http://www.deviceguru.com/scientists-add-emotions-to-robotic-head/
>>> >> _______________________________________________
>>> >> NetBehaviour mailing list
>>> >> NetBehaviour at netbehaviour.org
>>> >> http://www.netbehaviour.org/mailman/listinfo/netbehaviour
>>> >>     
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > Simon Biggs
>> > Research Professor
>> > edinburgh college of art
>> > s.biggs at eca.ac.uk
>> > www.eca.ac.uk
>> > www.eca.ac.uk/circle/
>> >
>> > simon at littlepig.org.uk
>> > www.littlepig.org.uk
>> > AIM/Skype: simonbiggsuk
>> >
>> >
>> > Edinburgh College of Art (eca) is a charity registered in Scotland, number
>> SC009201
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >   
>> > ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>> >
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> 
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Simon Biggs
Research Professor
edinburgh college of art
s.biggs at eca.ac.uk
www.eca.ac.uk
www.eca.ac.uk/circle/

simon at littlepig.org.uk
www.littlepig.org.uk
AIM/Skype: simonbiggsuk


Edinburgh College of Art (eca) is a charity registered in Scotland, number SC009201


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